2004 ION sedan, intermittent no tails...
#1
12-25-2018, 12:48 PM
2004 ION sedan, intermittent no tails...
Guys, I have an issue. For the longest time I’ve known that my tails would sometimes go out (but brake lights and signals seem to work), but I’ve largely ignored it since it was on way more than it was off... but since I was stopped and ticketed for it last night I figure it could use some attention...
any ideas?
any ideas?
#2
12-25-2018, 12:55 PM
The L series runs a very small wire to each bulb from the driver’s side fuse panel. I had to tie them all together to install the towbar wiring diodes. If the Ion is the same I would start at that fuse panel. Do all external running lights fail at the same time or just the rears?
#7
12-27-2018, 09:45 AM
My sedan is an 04, though I wish it were an 07...
i called the PD today, they said that if I let them inspect my car they would dismiss the ticket
i called the PD today, they said that if I let them inspect my car they would dismiss the ticket
#8
12-28-2018, 02:33 AM
Sounds like a search without a warrant to me.
Were you acting nervously or acting fidgety when stopped? Sounds to me like the officer wanted to search your car but didn't have probable cause.
Either that or they figure they will find a bunch of other safety related stuff that doesn't work right and write you a bigger ticket. Based on the assumption that if your car has one light wiring problem, it has more.
Will they find other things like a hole in the exhaust system, rusted out cat or muffler, leaking fuel tank, etc.? If so they will surely write you up for all of it on another ticket and give you some ridiculously short time window in which to fix it and provide evidence of repairs.
Then again if you politely refuse their "Goodwill offer", they'll think you're either hiding something or will be pissed at you for not being a lemming.
If West Virginia doesn't have state mandated inspections of any kind, the police do not have the authority to inspect your vehicle. You have to agree to it. Once you do, you get whatever they throw at you.
Hope the drug sniffing dog doesn't tear the fabric on the seats.
Yours in Paranoia,
Derf
PS:. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the vast majority of the officers of the law in this country. However, I have seen this exact scenario used to create a revenue stream off of people with older cars who get targeted because of it. Ask 400 questions if you need to including whether or not you will be ticketed for anything additional they might find it that you do not know about
Were you acting nervously or acting fidgety when stopped? Sounds to me like the officer wanted to search your car but didn't have probable cause.
Either that or they figure they will find a bunch of other safety related stuff that doesn't work right and write you a bigger ticket. Based on the assumption that if your car has one light wiring problem, it has more.
Will they find other things like a hole in the exhaust system, rusted out cat or muffler, leaking fuel tank, etc.? If so they will surely write you up for all of it on another ticket and give you some ridiculously short time window in which to fix it and provide evidence of repairs.
Then again if you politely refuse their "Goodwill offer", they'll think you're either hiding something or will be pissed at you for not being a lemming.
If West Virginia doesn't have state mandated inspections of any kind, the police do not have the authority to inspect your vehicle. You have to agree to it. Once you do, you get whatever they throw at you.
Hope the drug sniffing dog doesn't tear the fabric on the seats.
Yours in Paranoia,
Derf
PS:. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the vast majority of the officers of the law in this country. However, I have seen this exact scenario used to create a revenue stream off of people with older cars who get targeted because of it. Ask 400 questions if you need to including whether or not you will be ticketed for anything additional they might find it that you do not know about
#9
12-29-2018, 12:49 PM
As far as I’m aware they only wanna verify that the tails now work. I’ll see if I can strip off the tint (for sure that is illegal, “technically”, and drive up there, ask them if it’s just the tails or a full safety inspection(which is required in WV yearly)... they offered to let me fax a receipt for services done on the car, but seeing as I don’t have any (tails come back on their own), it’s either pay the fine or let them look at the car... if they *really* wanna search through the car, they can hand me a 15mm socket wrench and I’ll oull the seats in like 5 min, I’m like 99.999% certain there’s nothing illegal in the car... I haven’t even modded the emissions equipment, yet... planning a cat delete downpipe and header if they get pulled off the RL soon...